Steam trap



C. STICKLE STEAM TRAP sept. 18, 1923. www@ Filed April 22 1921 38 h lt 7, 32 y Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

` 1 ani gras;

VCOLE*s'TIcKLE, or rNnrANAPonIs, INDIANA. assiettes To` OPEN oorL HEATER a PUR'IrrEacolarANY,l orfrnnrannrenrs, INDIANA, A conroiae'rroiv.

STEAM TRAP.

. To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CoLnSrrcKtn, aV citizen of the United States, and a5 resident of Indianapolis,,county of` Marion, and State and exact ldescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in

which like numerals refer to like parts.

The object of this improvement insteam trap valve construction is to make the action thereof very rapid and positive, and also increase the capacity ofV the steam trap by making i't possible to open 5a discharge valve ofthe. full size of the inlet pipe opening` in the trap and thus facilitate Ythe action of the trap. l

` In steam traps asrheretofore madeand used, the valveA opening has usually been substantially one-eighth ofthe `size of the pipe openings 5 whereas with this `invention the valve opening is substantiallythe same in capacity `as the inlet ypipe opening, without any reduction in the pipe openino' so that the .conduit through thel trap'isnot reducechfnor is it obstructed in any way except by the valve when closed.

Other features Vof the .invention f consist in the construction whereby the parts there; of are upwardly removable from the upper part of thersteam trap in order to render the valve mechanism accessible without tak-Vv with a fixed disk thereon and oflarger diameter than the bore of said xed disk and of the cage and the opening or port closed by the main valve, whereby the excess ofv pressure on said loose'disk will open the valve and the construction permits the valve mechanism to be accessibleand also to be taken apart in spite of the pressurevin the trap. 'l f The full nature of the invention will be understood from Vthe accompanying draw- Appiicatin'aieaapri aa, 192i. serialV No. 463,650.

`ings andthe following description and "claims:

` ln the drawings, Fig. l is a central vertical section of the steam trap provided with a new valve structure in closed position.

. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the new valve structure with a pilot valve open in process of opening the main valve. Fig. 3 is the same showing the main valve open.

Thev main portion of this trap is of olol and-.common form. In it `there is a cup-` shaped vessel or casing 10 with a top plate llvsecured thereon by bolts 12. Said casing has lat one side and near the upper end an inlet port 13 leadingto an annular chamber lllwhich opens into the interior of said vessel through square openings or ports 15 shown by dotted lines.

Hthin the casing 10 there is a float con sisting ofva cup-shaped vessel 16 with its upper end open and. .extending approximately to the top of the inlet openings or ports 15 in the wall of the outer vessel, but so as to be below the top of said openings when the float is down and just above the saine when the float is up. The float 1G has a boss V17 extending centrally from its lower end through which a valve rod 18 extends -and said valve rodengages a central lug19 in the bottom of the inner surface' of the outer casing or vessel 10, when the float 16-is down to its lowest limit of movement. The upper end of said float loosely surrounds and extends above the lower edge ofanannular flange 2O extending down centrally from vthe top 11, as shown.

rThe top 1.1 has central opening at 21 in which the upper end of a tube 22 is secured that extends down centrally of both vessels Vl() and 16 almost to the bottom of the float chamber 1G and at intervals it has guide bars 23 for the valve rod 18.

Vrl-valve casing 25 is secured centrally` on the top 11 by bolts 26 and'it has vertical and centrally-located chambers 27 and 35..

let 28, there is an annular rib 29 internally'- threaded to receive the lower threaded end of a cage 30. The lowerfpart 310tthis cage 30 is a Avalve seat for the main valve 33 and Vthereis a vveiticalreentral chamber 32 in saidcage which-communicates with the chamber 27 below and which'is closed by thev main valve 33, as seen in Fig. 1, and

from f which there are lateral outlets orV openings34 inthe side wall of the cage 30,

through which fluid may pass intothe.:-Y

chamber and out through the port 28 to the vacuum line. The upper end of the cage is open and has a removable cap 36 to close it. rlhe upper end-oll thevalve casing 25 is also open and has'a screw cap 37 to eloseit; f r

The main valve 33 is: adapted to close the lowerA end of thechamber 32 when in contact with the seat 31, when there is much waterin the float chamber n10 and said float chamber is elevated, as shown in Fig. 1.

The stemBS of the main valve 33 is tubularV toy form a passageway 39 which'is in communication vwith some lateral ports 40 in thebody oil' theY main" valve 58. Said passageway 39 is'closed by a pilot Vvalve 41 which is at the upper endot the valve rod 18, said pilot valve or'rod being' of greater diameter than the assafre 39 and havinof a tapered upper end, as seen in Fig. 1. n

the lower end ot the main valve there is secureda cap 43 surrounding the Vvalve rod 18 and adapted to be engaged bv a collar 44 .on the valve rod, when the valve rodvand float 116 move downward. Near the upper end of the inain valve stem 38 there issecured a thin'disk 45 which guides said valve stem in the chamber 32 andalso there isa disk-like plate 4G looseon the upper end of the valve stem 88 which is oflarger area than the main valve opening, and servesunder pressureto torce the main valve down K its biioyaney `in the surrounding'body ofV inte open position. A

When' condensation water accumulates 1n the float chamber 16 su'licient to overcome Vwill force the plate 46 and main valve down v ward to the open position shownV in Fig. 3, vwhich will enable the condensation water to pass out from the chamber 2T through the chamber 32 and side vopeningsV or ports 34 through the chamber 35 and outlet 28 to the vacuum line.

When sufficient water hasV thus escaped Yof the pressure in; the steam trap.`

from the float chamber 16, its buoyancy in the surrounding body of Waterfwilll causeY i the vo'atvessel to move upward tothe Vposition shown .inFigz 1whichwillalso cause theY valve rod l8ftojmove'upward, andtliat will torce upward the mainvalvecage to the positionshown ijn Fig. 1, and' thus cause the pilot valve 4l 4andthe mainV o utlet'to be p closed by Vthe main valve, 33,'until the loat chamber hasY another.chargev4 of Vcondensa-YN tionV water suiiic'iently large to causefa repef titionof the operation;

The disk-like plate 46 has .a greaterdi? ameter than the main valve 33 and by re`a sonot said greaterjarea 'exposed to pressure,

said Vplate automatically forces the main valve down from itsseat. ASaid main valve has an area, 1n the tormherein shown, more Vthan eight times the Varea ofthe pilotvalve the contents ot Vthe float .chamber "are `very1 quickly discharged .and -the high velocity of the Vdischarging water strikingV againstV the bottoni of V'the nainrvalveB-with force,

lifts the float'chainber and causes a veryY sudden closingfo'f the trap,.when the amofunt- Y A of waterin said float Vchamber has become `low enough to permit this action.

The quick actionin opening and'elosing the trap thus makes. a positive l:torceztoY operate Vthe trap, and at no time is it possible to have- .pf an equilibrium` or a'balancedgposition which would tend'to letfthe trap sticlr'and not open, 'or to let the trap stay open and not close and follow through, as'oten occurs Vin important one. the top of the condensation chamber to permit the 'escape of ai rwhen necessary" to relieve the chamber from eXce'ssive pressure therein.

The disk 45 lits loosely enough in the cylinder or cage 30,` and the disk plate 46 is loose, so that whenthe parts are inthe po sition shown inFig. l, with both valves33 and 41 closed, the waterv Vin. the Chamber 4S the ordinary steam trap. This results in increasing; the capacity of this Vsteam trap v about eighttimes that ofthe Ordinai-ygsteamY trap, which makes'the improvementavery;

A petv coclr'O isprovded in llO' willleak out throughthe opening- 34, and the f coneal valve 33 be permitted to' operate and adjustably seat itself; without causing the disk or plate 4G to pinch: against the sur-v rounding walland prevent the 'closing movement of the valve i l Also the cap 37 is-upwardlv removable by .unscrewing Ait andthen thegcage 30 is up-"v wardly removable `byunscrewing it,l and Vwith the 'disk 46 looseV on thev valve stem,

said cage can be readily lifted out in spite This enables the valve mechanism Vto be accessible and removable without taking; the trap apart andwiththe trap" left in its usual place.

i' because they were inaccessible and becauseV pressure in the steam trap prevents them from being taken apart. L

VThe invention clanned is:i. f

l. Austeam trap includingachamber for the condensation' water, 'a conduit extending from-the Vupper end'of said chamber, a oat in said condensation chamber, aV discharge outlet in communication with the upper end of said conduit, a main. valve :tor controlling said discharge outletwitha vertical opening therethrough and enlarged at its lower end and with lateral openings trom the enlarged portion of said vertical opening, and a pilot valve in said enlarged portion ot the vertical opening in said main valve adapted to close the reduced upper portion thereof.

2. A steam trap including achamber for the condensation water, a. conduit extending from the upper endi ot said chamber, a float in said condensation chamber, a discharge outlet in communication with the Vupper endof said conduit;y a main va-lve tor controlling said discharge outlet with a vertical opening therethrough, a normally-closed chamber at i the upper end of the opening;` through said valve, a piston-like disk on saidvalve, a

' valve rod extending upwardly lthrough the conduit from the iioat with arpilot valve on the upper end thereof for controlling` the passage through said main valve, and means on said rod for en gaping the main valve during the downward and opening movement of the pilot valve and tending to open the main valve. y

3. A steam trap includingva chamber for 'the condensation water, a conduit extending from the upper end oi"- said chamber, a iioat in said condensation chamber,y a discharge Voutlet in communication'with the upper end of said conduit, a main valve for controlling said discharge outlet with a vertical opening; therethrough,` a normally-closed'chamber at the upper end of the opening` through said valve, a piston-like disk on said valve, a

valve rod'extending upwardly through the conduit from the lioat with a pilot valve on the upper Vend thereof for controlling the passage through said main valve, a screw cap on the lower end ot said main valve surrounding; the valve rod with a chamber therein, and a collar on the valve rod in said last-mentioned chambe arranged to engage the screw cap on the downward movement of the pilot valve and aid in opening; the main valve l Y i 4. A steam .trap inclnding'a chamber for theV condensation water, a conduit extending downward from the upper end of said chamber, a float injsaid condensation chamber, a discharge outlet in communication with the upper end of said conduit, a cylindrical cage with an inlet chamber in communication with said'outlet and the upper endot said conduit, a main valve for closing' the lower end of'said cage and having a tubular valveA stem extending` up into said cage; a disk secured near the upper end ot ,said valve stem andloosely fitting` 1nsaid cage, means tor forming a Vnormally-closcd chamber insaid cage above said valve steun0 a disk loosely fitting on the upp'erlend ot the valve stein and having a Lgreater diameter than the inlet chamber Vof said cage, and a valve rod secured to the float and extending up through said conduit with a pilot valve on the upper end thereof adapted to. close the passageway through said main valve when `the :tloat is in its elevated position and to open the same when the float is in its downward position.

5. A steam trap includingv a chamber for the `condensanion water, a conduit 'extending' downward from the upper end ot said chamber, vtloat in said condensaation chamber, a discharge outlet in communication with the upper en d of said conduit, a cylindrical cage with an inlet chamber in communication with said outlet and the upper end or' said conduit, a conical main valve for closingl the lower end of said cylindrical cage and having Y a vertical passage therethrough with the lower end enlarged and with lateral openings Yfrom said enlarged portion oi said passageway, a disk secured near the upper end of said valve stem and loosely fittingin said cage, means for forming a normallyclosed chamber in said cage above said valve stein, a disk ioosely fitting on the upper end of the valve stem and adapted to rest in said Yined disk and having` a greater diameter than the fixed disk and the inlet chamber ot said cage, a valve rod secured to the iioat and extending;- up through said conduit, and a pilot valve adapted to close the reduced portion ot the'passageway through the main Vvalve when the float is in elevated position.

G. A Vsteam trap includingchamber tor the condensation water, a conduit extending downward from the upper end ot said chamber, a float in said condensation chamber` discharge outlet in communication with the upper end oi said conduit, a cylindrical cage with an inlet chamber in communication with said outlet and the upper end or" said conduit, a valve easingsecurcd ou the upper end of said condensation' chamber .and having' a chamber therein communicating' with the upper end oit-said conduit and` havingl a discharge outlet, a removable cap on the upper end oft said val-ve casing, said cage beingT provided with a central chamber therein communicating with the surrounding chamber and said cage being secured so as to be upwardly removable, main valve iior closing the inlet to said valve cage and having a tubular valve stem extending up into said cage, a disk secured near the upper end of said valve stem, and loosely fitting in said cage, means for forming' anorrmallyV-elosed chamber labove Sald'valve Stem, a chsk loosely ttlng outhe upper end'of the valve stem fand having' a. greater `diameter than' the-in# 'G5 let chamhervo Sai@V cage, and'afvalve roel1 seeured to the floatgarldextending' up.

through said conduit with Ypilot Valve on fb-he, upper end thereof adaptedto le1oseche passageway through said main yalvezwheu A' Ythe float is in ft's elevatedy poa-tirorl andf to open the same when ther float isrriu its down- VWard position. Y f' In Witness whereofT I have: hereunto 

